Thermal Donor Laminate Formulation Without Colloidal Silica
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing thermal transfer laminate formulations rely on colloidal silica, which is costly and causes mixing issues due to its low pH, leading to defects like flash and satin back transfer, and require improvements in image stability, scratch resistance, and gloss without compromising performance.
Innovation Solution
Formulations without colloidal silica, utilizing polymers like PMMA, CAP, and poly(vinyl acetal) resins, along with UV absorbers and solvents like methanol and toluene, to create a transparent protective overcoat that mitigates defects and enhances image stability and scratch resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If colloidal silica is used in laminate formulation, then flash is reduced, but cost increases and pH becomes too low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes colloidal silica from the laminate formulation entirely and replaces it with alternative materials such as colloidal silver, colloidal gold, or other particulate matter that do not have the harmful low pH property. This extraction of the problematic substance while maintaining the desired flash-reducing function through alternative means directly resolves the contradiction between flash reduction and manufacturing ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the laminate formulation by substituting colloidal silica with other particulate materials having different chemical properties. This parameter change maintains the physical function of reducing flash while eliminating the harmful low pH characteristic, thus resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and ease of manufacture.
2Manufacturing precision
If colloidal silica is used in laminate formulation, then flash is reduced, but mixing issues occur due to low pH
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes colloidal silica from the formulation, eliminating the source of mixing complications. By replacing it with neutral or basic particulate alternatives, the patent simplifies the mixing process while maintaining flash reduction effectiveness, thus resolving the contradiction between flash reduction and mixing complexity.
3Reliability
If laminate overcoat is applied to protect image, then scratch resistance and stability improve, but flash and satin back transfer defects occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical and physical parameters of the laminate formulation by replacing colloidal silica with alternative particulate materials. This parameter change enables the laminate to provide image protection and stability while eliminating the causes of flash and satin back transfer defects, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials consisting of multiple particulate substances (such as colloidal silver, colloidal gold, or other alternatives combined with polymer binders and solvents) to create a laminate formulation that simultaneously achieves image protection and prevents print defects. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by integrating multiple functions into a single material system.
4Ease of manufacture
If colloidal silica is removed from formulation, then cost decreases and pH improves, but flash reduction effectiveness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs alternative particulate materials such as colloidal silver or gold, which may be more expensive than colloidal silica but come with beneficial properties. However, the patent also explores using less expensive alternative particulate matter that can provide equivalent or superior flash reduction while maintaining better pH characteristics and lower cost, thus resolving the contradiction through material substitution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the compositional parameters by substituting colloidal silica with alternative particulate materials that have different cost and pH properties. This parameter change enables the formulation to achieve lower cost and improved pH while maintaining or enhancing flash reduction effectiveness, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and manufacturing precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The new formulations provide cost-effective, defect-free thermal prints with improved image stability, scratch resistance, and gloss, while avoiding issues like flash and satin back transfer.
Implementation Method 1
The transparent protective overcoat can also provide improved light stability if a ultraviolet (UV) absorbing compound is incorporated in the formulation
Implementation Method 2
Heat can be used to drive the colorants deeper into the receiver element
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are embodiments of thermal donor laminate formulations and thermal transfer donor elements comprising the same. Thermal donor elements described herein can be used to transfer the laminate onto thermal receiver elements using thermal transfer means to create a transparent, protective overcoat film. In certain embodiments, the laminate is formulated without colloidal silica. Laminate formulations comprise appropriate solvent packages to account for the removal of colloidal silica, including, in some embodiments, solvent packages that do not include DEK. Certain embodiments described herein exhibit advantageous performance characteristics, such as avoiding and/or mitigating flash, satin back transfer, and print artifacts, and resist scratches.